Darlington 2, Notts County 2

Aug 26 2007 By Lynsey Richardson, Sunday Sun

DARLINGTON suffered their first setback of the season and manager Dave Penney knows that the players must sort it out for themselves.

After seeing Richard Butcher snatch an equaliser for County in the fourth minute of injury time following sloppy defending, Penney moaned: “You can’t work on that on the training ground because it’s about being professional and seeing the game out when the pressure is on.

“We had three attempts to clear before the equaliser went in and we didn’t take them. We have to be able to wind down the clock and see games out.”

But that apart the Quakers’ manager had no complaints.

“We caused County more problems than they caused us, and in the first half we played as well as we have done this season. We hit the woodwork twice and scored,” he added.

“Tommy Wright won a lot of headers and ruffled their defence and we should have been more than one goal up at half-time.”

In a lively game from the off, Kevin McBride moved forward from midfield to hit the post, Wright being pulled up for a foul as he tried to force the loose ball in.

Five minutes later, a low cross from left winger Chris Palmer caused County defender Adam Tann to slice the ball against his own bar. This time Pawel Abbott was booked for handball as he dived in to bundle the ball over the line.

Recalled midfielder Micky Cummins saw one shot saved by keeper Kevin Pilkington and another blocked by the defence before Darlington’s pressure finally told. Abbott powered through two tackles before setting up Wright to lash home on 41 minutes.

Tim Ryan saw a long-range drive turned over by the impressive Pilkington early in the second half as Darlington tried to give themselves breathing space.

But County rallied once the lively Andy Parkinson came off the bench and Butcher pounced to equalise on 71 minutes after racing across the defence to slide the ball in.

When substitute Neil Wainwright crossed for fellow sub Ian Miller to head home on 85 minutes, Darlington thought they had won their third game in a row.

But Wainwright conceded possession and Ryan sliced the ball across his own penalty area, with Butcher gleefully volleying home a last-gasp leveller.

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Young keeper set to benefit

DARLINGTON manager Dave Penney believes that young keeper David Stockdale will benefit from the experienced defenders in front of him.

And the know-how of skipper Tim Foster, Alan White and Tim Ryan is one of the reasons why Penney has handed 21-year-old Stockdale the first-team shirt.

“It’s much easier for a young keeper to come into the side and try and establish himself when he has such good experienced players in front of him,” said Penney.

“Stockdale has played his part too, and deserves his place for his own ability. And he will grow in confidence because of those in front of him.”

Penney admits that he knew he had a good keeper in the making as soon as he saw Stockdale in action last year, and didn’t lose faith in the ex-York youngster when he was conceding goals in an injury-hit Darlington team early in Penney’s reign.

“People said he was a poor keeper because we were losing games, but I knew at the time it wasn’t his fault.

“We were defending badly and when that’s the case a keeper is exposed. He’s a good keeper and now he is getting the chance to show it.

“He got in because Andy Oakes was sent off, and since then you can’t fault him. I’m a firm believer that if you are doing the job you stay in the team.”

However, Penney revealed that he is attempting to sign a third keeper to ensure that there is sufficient back up in the squad.

Darlington have loaned young defender Lewis Hardman to Whitby for a month to give him first team experience, and he has already played a couple of games for the Seasiders.

“He won’t be the only one to go out on loan. We have a strong squad, and it makes sense for players who won’t get a chance here in the short term to further their experience.”